The Santa Chiara palace in Bagnoregio, in the district of Civita, is the oldest residence of the family from which it takes its name, documented since 1441 when Colasanto, originally from Rieti, was appointed mayor and procurator of Bagnoregio. The shape of the palace is still a symbol of Civita's history and fragility. The building was built on the site of a large Roman villa, of which a large cistern and a complex hydraulic system for water conduction remain in the garden. Some fragments of architectural decorations from the villa itself are still embedded in the cathedral and buildings of Civita. The two stone lions hoisted on either side of the gate were placed there in memory of the victories won by the Bagnoresi over the Monaldeschi della Cervara and the Baglioni di Castel Piero in the 15th century. The palace is made up of a group of medieval dwellings placed near the gate of Santa Maria, and united in the 16th century in the form of a Modern Age palace by Cosimo Colesanti, who did not fail to leave his name engraved on the architraves of the windows. Towards the end of the century, Cosimo, a man of great prominence in the history of the family, undertook new work on the church of San Bonaventura, built on the house where the saint was born and now disappeared, in which he was to be buried, right in front of the high altar. In 1604, together with his brother Girolamo, Cosimo obtained Roman citizenship, at a time when some famous people from Bagnoresi were living in Rome. Of the palace façade, only the right half is currently preserved, where there is also an ancient coat of arms of the Colesanti family. However, observing the structure vertically from the garden, one can follow, almost stone by stone, the path from antiquity, passing through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, to the contemporary age. The earthquake of June 1695, decisively accelerating the crumbling of the town's tuffaceous plateau and much of the land where Palazzo Colesanti stood, revealed the wonder concealed within, making it that extraordinary refuge that seems to be born directly from living stone, without human intervention. The earthquake also marked the beginning of the slow abandonment of the palace. Getting to Civita had become too difficult, so the bishop and all the main families decided to move to the contrada of Rota, today's Bagnoregio. Today, after a few centuries, the palace lives again, perhaps in an even more beautiful form than it might have appeared to our eyes half a millennium ago.
The Loggia.
In the upper part of the arch that characterises the entrance gate to the village of Civita di Bagnoregio is the noble suite of the historic Palazzo Santa Chiara.
A large room that includes a sleeping area and living room enriched by an antique 19th-century bookcase and a splendid fireplace. The gilded vault above the large four-poster bed is the same one that once formed the ceiling of the church of Santa Maria.
The window overlooking the Civita bridge is the same one that can be seen under the famous three-mullioned window that dominates the entrance arch to the village.
From the suite's external loggia, one can enjoy the breathtaking view of the Valle dei Calanchi.
An open space created in an evocative grotto of Palazzo Santa Chiara dug into the tuff. An enchanting and unique space with a terrace overlooking the valley below and the property's exclusive garden. The environment is completed by a wonderful old private wine cellar for the use of the house guests.
The most exclusive and representative room of the entire Palazzo Santa Chiara. The triple lancet window that overlooks the entrance arch of the hamlet, is the famous overlook that welcomes an enchanting and timeless terrace where one can observe from above the bridge that connects Civita with the rest of the world. A princely bed. A seventeenth-century fireplace. A comfort to enjoy and experience before going for a walk in the property's marvellous garden, to visit the thousand-year-old Roman cistern, which is under cultural heritage protection.
In the unrivalled setting of the Palazzo Santa Chiara, there is a room with exposed tufa walls, surmounted by a 16th-century coffered ceiling. As are the floors of coeval terracotta. Antique paintings and large wooden shields painted on the walls. A princely bed and a fireplace in front of which to relax and breathe in a taste of history steeped in the glorious past. The windows offer a view over the great valley and the small square from which the eye runs to the church of San Donato. It is possible to visit the entire property with the ancient garden and the important Roman cistern topped by the large unchanged columns.
A room on the main floor of the palace from which one can observe the aerial view of the valley below Civita. The same vantage point for the hawks that soar the skies above the village.
A Renaissance bed and a precious 18th-century tapestry furnish a space where one can find a time of peace and reflection, before going down to visit the magical garden and the ancient, precious Roman cistern.
A room on the second floor of the historic palazzo, with windows overlooking the large valley and the small square below, until you spy, like curious owls, the church of San Donato in the background.
Two twin beds, under a ceiling supported by 16th-century wooden beams. A colourful and comfortable place to relax before going for a walk in the property's large, exclusive garden.
The residence's garden is one of the few in the hamlet. This makes it precious and rare. Centenary olive trees, lush roses and multicoloured hydrangeas colour the spaces between the centuries-old walls, alternating in bloom throughout the summer season. A kitchen and an outdoor barbecue make a pleasant and relaxing space perfectly enjoyable.
The ancient wine cellar of Palazzo Colesanti, dug out of tuff stone centuries ago, houses wines selected from among the best in the area, specific to the Viterbo area and the neighbouring regions of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. There is also an interesting selection of the most renowned Italian wines.
The following might be to be paid extra: Airport Pickup, Continental Breakfast, Cook, Pre-arrival grocery service, Refundable Security Deposit by credit card, Tourist tax.
